6 Ways To Combat Pre-Interview Nerves

By Ashley Paskill on May 17, 2019

Going on a job or internship interview can be scary, especially if it is your first time. Even if you have done it before, it can make you nervous. The job or internship can help your career or allow you to make some money to pay for college so the importance of the interview can add pressure. However, there are things you can do to make sure your nerves stay in check so that you rock the interview.

interview tips

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Get support from friends and family members

Friends and family members love you and support you. They want you to succeed and they know how worthy you are of getting the job. They know exactly what to say to cheer you on and make you confident in yourself. The night before the interview, arrange a small gathering of close friends and family members. Being surrounded by love and support will help you go into the interview with your head held high, no matter how it goes. They love you no matter what, even if the job does not pan out in your favor. Their love is (hopefully) unconditional.

Know the company

This may be obvious, but make sure you know about the company so that you are not blindsided. Do your research so that you can answer questions about why you want to work with the company and how your experience can help within your position. Look at their social media accounts and their website to see their latest projects or events. One of the questions is likely to be why you chose the company, and “I need money” is not an appropriate response. Being able to list things you like about the company or projects you feel like you could help with can help you stand out and be confident that you know what you are doing.

Plan something fun afterward

If you are nervous about the interview, it can be easy to dread it and feel like you are never going to make it through. However, having something fun planned after the interview can give you something to look forward to and can help things seem less daunting. Whether it is going out to eat at your favorite restaurant or watching your favorite movie with loved ones, having something planned will give you something to look forward to so that the nerves do not weigh you down too much.

Practice common interview questions

Sometimes, the scariest part of the interview is the thought of freezing up on the questions. While certain interview questions are different depending on the position you are applying for, there are some questions that are the same no matter what field you are interviewing for. Review those questions and come up with a basic answer that you can fill out during the interview. Memorize the answers and know exactly where you want to go with each answer. Even if the questions are not exactly the questions

Arrive early

There is nothing more stressful than the feeling that you are going to be late, especially for something as important as a job interview. Try to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time to allow yourself a chance to compose yourself and find where you need to be. You want to come across as confident in your abilities, so leaving yourself plenty of time to get to the place and find the room will help give you some time to take some deep breaths and go in feeling great.

Be confident in yourself

The most important aspect of an interview is how you sell yourself and your capabilities to show how your strengths and achievements can help the company. The best way to do that is to be confident in yourself. If you can believe in yourself, you can get the manager to believe in you too, so it is important to be able to be sure of yourself and your strengths. Sure, no one’s perfect, but use your flaws to show how far you have come and to be confident in what you have overcome. You got to the interview stage, so the hiring managers like what you have to offer. Own it and let your personality shine.

Do affirmations the morning of the interview. Affirmations are just looking into a mirror and telling yourself positive things. The can include saying that you are worthy, good enough, and capable of mastering the interview. Though it sounds silly, telling yourself that you are ready and capable to rock the interview can give you the confidence to shine. You can do the affirmations in your home mirror or even in the car if you arrive early enough.

Interviews can be intimidating, especially if it a huge step into your career. Nerves are natural, but there are ways to overcome them and use that energy to propel you into your future.

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